Planes de Manejo

Introduction

The Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus is one of only two ACAP-listed species that breeds on the Antarctic Continent.  The other species is the Light-mantled Albatross Phoebastria palpebrata, with just one known colony.  Fifteen Southern Giant Petrel breeding localities on the Continent and associated islands are protected as ASPAs (Antarctic Specially Protected Areas) and two as ASMAs (Antarctic Specially Managed Areas) in terms of the Antarctic Treaty.  The Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM), acting on the advice of its Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) adopts new and updates existing management plans for ASPAs and ASMAs on an annual basis.

Access the 2019 full listing of ASPAs and ASMAs with PDFs of their management plans here.

A Southern Giant Petrel with its chick at Pointe Geologie, Terre Adélie, Antarctica (ASPA 120), photograph by Christophe Sauser

Antarctic Specially Protected Areas

ASPAs supporting Southern Giant Petrel breeding colonies are:

Rookery Islands, Holme Bay, Mac.Robertson Land (ASPA 102) Powell Island and adjacent islands, South Orkney Islands (ASPA 111)

Coppermine Peninsula, Robert Island, South Shetland Islands (ASPA 112)

Lichfield Island, Arthur Harbour, Anvers Island, Palmer Archipelago (ASPA 113)

Avian Island, off Adelaide Island, Antarctic Peninsula (ASPA 117)

Pointe-Geologie Archipelago, Terre Adélie (ASPA 120)

Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands (ASPA 126)

Western shore of Admiralty Bay, King George Island (ASPA 128)

Potter Peninsula, King George Island, South Shetland Islands (ASPA 132)

Harmony Point, Nelson Island, South Shetland Islands (ASPA 133)

Cierva Point and offshore islands, Danco Coast, Antarctic Peninsula (ASPA 134)

Ardley Island, Maxwell Bay, South Shetland Islands (ASPA 150)

Lions Rump, King George Island, South Shetland Islands (ASPA 151)

Frazier Islands, Windmill Islands, Wilkes Land (ASPA 160)

Hawker Island, Vestfold Hills, Ingrid Christensen Coast Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica (ASPA 167)

Narebski Point, Barton Peninsula, King George Island (ASPA 171)

Antarctic Specially Managed Areas

Admiralty Bay (ASMA 1)

South-west Anvers Island & Palmer Basin (ASMA 7)

Visitor Site Guidelines

Seven  Antarctic localities visited by tourists in the Antarctic Peninsula region which support (or may support) Southern Giant Petrel colonies have Visitor Site Guidelines published by the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat.

No. 1  Penguin Island, King George Island, South Shetland Islands

No. 2  Barrientos Island (Aitcho Islands), South Shetland Islands

No. 6  Hannah Point, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands

No. 11  Turret Point, King George Island, South Shetland Islands

No. 13  Brown Bluff, Antarctic Peninsula (suspected breeding only)

No. 19.  Baily Head, Deception Island, South Shetland Islands (suspected breeding only)

No. 31.  Northeast beach of Ardley Island, South Shetland Islands (in "surroundings")

Important Breeding and Biodiversity Areas

For Southern Giant Petrel breeding colonies identified as falling within Important Breeding and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) in Antarctica see Harris et al. (2015).

ACAP Breeding Sites

Access illustrated accounts of sixteen ACAP Breeding Sites supporting Southern Giant Petrels in Antarctica here.

Reference:

Harris, C.M., Lorenz, K., Fishpool, L.D.C., Lascelles, B., Cooper, J., Coria, N.R., Croxall, J.P., Emmerson, L.M., Fijn, R., Fraser, W.L., Jouventin, P., Larue, M.A., Le Maho, Y., Lynch, H.J., Naveen, R., Patterson-Fraser, D.L., Peter, H.-U., Poncet, S., Phillips, R.A., Southwell, C.J., Van Franeker, J.A., Weimerskirch, H., Wienecke, B. & Woehler, E.J. 2015. Important Bird Areas in Antarctica 2015.  Cambridge: BirdLife International and Environmental Research & Assessment Ltd.  302 pp.

Last updated 08 December 2020